Prison of the Earth, Peril of the Sea
by vylrael
Summary: A spark is born in the minds of two young men while they consider their lives and their surroundings.


A dark haired young man sat alone on a wooden bench in Lavaridge Town during the final hours of the day. He wore a black t-shirt and jeans along with a pair of leather boots. Around his neck, he had a simple silver chain. It was a small accessory, though he was never seen without it. He had bought it during his visit to a place on the region's coast called Lilycove City. It was the only time he had been out of his hometown so far. He thought about that trip. He thought about how the sea appeared to go on eternally, how islands could be seen dotting the expanse, and how aquatic Pokemon would swim so happily and freely among the waves. Of course, he had to return home, but the memories stuck with him, and they only seemed to bother him more and more as the years went on. He decided quickly that he would one day return to Lilycove City. Perhaps he would even live there!

With a sigh, the young man looked around at his home. Lavaridge seemed to dull to him. Besides the usual Pokemon center and homes that were just basics for any town, they had a Pokemon Gym, hot springs, and an herb shop. They were at the foot of Mt. Chimney, the great volcano that constantly spewed ash into the sky. Even if he were to leave, the nearby routes either were covered in ash or passed through a desert. It felt to him like fire and stone were all that surrounded him here. Not even the water they drank was free from it. It was taken from the hot springs that existed only because of the volcanic heat after all. How did his neighbors stand this? Sure, the older couples probably enjoyed the supposedly therapeutic properties of the place, but what about people his age? Did no one else feel as trapped as he did? Did he need to show them? Even the Pokemon here were dull. They could never be as fierce as a Sharpedo or as beautiful as a Milotic. The mountains...the deserts...the land itself were all just prisons! The sea was the only place where true freedom existed.

Meanwhile, another young man of about the same age leaned against the exterior wall of the Pokemon Center in his own hometown, staring out at the sky. This one was a redhead who wore a large coat that went down well past his waist. His pants were of a thick material and his boots were made of rubber. He was something of an oddity in Pacifidlog. Most of those around him embraced the water that surrounded them and loved the feel of the sea breeze against their skin. This young man, on the other hand, hated it. Being out here in the middle of nowhere was the last thing he wanted. He felt so isolated and so small. They had, over the years, made certain precautions to help survive such things, but he always imagined a hurricane or a tidal wave coming and destroying the whole town. If that happened, it would be considered a tragedy for a time, then he and his people would be laughed at by future generations for their foolishness. They would be right to do so, of course. The citizens of Pacifidlog were willingly putting themselves at the mercy of the elements and of the horrible Pokemon that were hidden by the water. A group of Tentacruel or a handful of angry Gyarados could put an end to them all.

The redhead looked toward the mainland of the Hoenn Region. There, he could see the smoke and ash coming up from Mt. Chimney. He knew that if it erupted the people there would be no better off than he would be if a tsunami hit Pacifidlog, but it still seemed so different. Volcanoes could become dormant, but the sea never would. Even if it did cover the area around it with lava, it would soon solidify and plants could grow in the volcanic soil. They had mines and forests. The people of the mainland could recover with what they had around them. If Pacifidlog was even slightly damaged, they had to travel to the ports to get what they needed. Since it was visible even at this great distance, the man saw Mt. Chimney as a beacon that called him. He imagined standing on a ship while he watched Slateport getting closer and closer. He fantasized about riding on the back of a Camerupt as he explored Hoenn from Littleroot to Mauville to Ever Grande. More than that, though, he didn't want to have to meet the ocean again during his travels, as impossible as he knew it was.

As the sun finished setting, both Archie and Maxie began the walk to their homes. Both were thinking the same thing, "Surely something can be done."


End file.
